New Castle man gets 5 years for robbery, theft

April 2, 2014

LISBON - Daniel M. Keller, 23, New Castle, Pa., was sentenced in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court to five years in prison for robbery, theft, arson and two counts of breaking and entering.

In the first indictment, Keller attempted to steal at Hilltop Market, North Market Street, East Palestine, on Oct. 20, 2012. In doing so he threatened injury to Samantha Gerber.

In the second case Keller, along with co-defendant Steven Slagle, broke into the East Palestine Elementary and Middle Schools by throwing bricks through the windows on April 8, 2011. The pair then stole money, candy and cash boxes from each building. Additionally on the same date, the two took a Ford F-350 pickup belonging to Steven Grueber and parked at Bill's Auto Repair. They drove it to E.P. China where they set it the pickup on fire.

Maurice J. Brooks, 27, Youngstown, was sentenced to 12 months in prison for possession of drugs for 5.3 grams of brown powder containing heroin found in his hand on Feb. 23, 2013. He was credited with 51 days served. His license was suspended for 12 months.

Michelle A. Woodworth, 55, Prospect Street, Salem, was sentenced to six months in the Reformatory for Women in Marysville for three counts of theft for taking money orders from Lucy Turney, an elderly woman, last April. She was further ordered to make restitution in the amount of $720 to Turney.

Lori A. Smith, 52, East Pidgeon Road, Salem, was sentenced to two years probation after stipulating to violating her previous probation on a passing bad checks charge. The charge stemmed from writing a $750 check to Earl Shory in September 2009, which was dishonored.

Zachary John Sabol, 21, Franklin Avenue, Salem, was found in violation of his intervention in lieu of conviction probation on five counts trafficking in drugs and dishonorably terminated from the program. In February he had been sentenced to a five-year intervention program. Last week he was sentenced to regular probation for the same amount of time. Sabol was charged after preparing marijuana for sale on Feb. 5, 2011 at a Riffle Road home. Additionally, he sold 26.6 grams of marijuana to an informant for $150 on Sept. 28, 2011; 27 grams of marijuana for $150 on Oct. 1, 2011; 26.5 grams of marijuana for $150 on Oct. 11, 2011 and prepared more marijuana for sale on Oct. 14, 2014 from a North Beaver Street, Lisbon home.

Ray T. McGowan, 31, Youngstown, was sentenced to six months in prison, concurrent with another prison sentence he is serving in Jefferson County. McGowan had previously pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for between one and five grams of heroin on July 26, 2012.

Trevon J. Johnson, 20, Youngstown, was sentenced to four years probation including up to the first six months to be served at the Eastern Ohio Correctional Center in Wintersville. Johnson pleaded guilty in January to possession of drugs with a forfeiture specification after he had 11.4 grams of crack cocaine in his underwear along with a small bag of marijuana in his sweatshirt pocket and $440 in cash on March 13, 2013.

Charity Anne Marie Riggs, 20, North Ellsworth Avenue, Salem, pleaded guilty to theft for taking a wallet containing a Visa credit card belonging to James Shearer on April 4, 2013. Count two of the indictment, a misdemeanor charge of misuse of credit cards, was dismissed. Sentencing was set for May 22. She faces up to 12 months in prison and a $2,500 fine in that case.

In a separate case, Riggs also pleaded guilty to theft and forgery for taking and writing a check belonging to Rebecca L. Simpson in February 2013. For those charges she faces up to an additional 24 months in prison and a $5,000 fine.

April L. Matthews, 28, Youngstown, pleaded guilty to trafficking in drugs. Matthews had been charged with four counts of trafficking in drugs after she reportedly sold 27.4 grams of marijuana to a confidential informant for $150 on Dec. 2, 2011; another 17.2 grams of marijuana on Jan. 12, 2012 for $115; another 27.2 grams of marijuana on March 23, 2012 for $150; and 83.2 grams of marijuana for $450 on March 28, 2012, all from an East Martin Street, East Palestine, address. She faces up to 12 months in prison, a five year license suspension and a $2,500 fine. Sentencing is set for May 22.

Troy L. Adams, 30, Richardson Avenue, East Liverpool, was sentenced to four years probation, including 148 days in the county jail, for a domestic violence charge. Adams harmed Josselyn Cowdery on Nov. 1, 2013 by grabbing her, pushing her down, attempting to kick her in the head and threatening to kill her. He was previously convicted of domestic violence on Aug. 17, 2009.

Casey L. Reynolds, 34, West Lincoln Way, Lisbon, pleaded guilty to passing bad checks, a first degree misdemeanor. Reynolds wrote a check on the account of Teri Webber to Stadium GM in the amount of $5,800 for the purchase of a 2003 Chevy Trail Blazer and the check was returned for insufficient funds. She faces up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. Sentencing is set for May 22.